Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has gifted Super Falcons forward Francisca Ordega N50 million and a three-bedroom apartment in Makurdi, the state capital.
The governor presented the gifts to Ordega during a dinner in Makurdi on Thursday night.
Alia described Ordega, who hails from Benue State, as the greatest sports ambassador the state had produced in recent times.
Ordega, who plays for Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad, was among the Nigerian team that won the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) hosted by Morocco.
Alia also promised to rename a major street after the Super Falcons forward.
The governor also gifted N10 million to the coach who nurtured Orderga in Benue State to become an international footballer.
He congratulated her for the outstanding performance she put up during the competition and urged talented young girls to emulate her resilience.
Alia stated: “She is truly an inspiration to everyone. She is an inspiration to all the young ladies coming up to play. I invite parents to allow their daughters to get into the field.
“Here is a great shining example of once you allow them, guide them, and they are coached, tomorrow we shall all go to the national and come back to the state to celebrate them.
FIFA ranking: Super Falcons remain Africa’s best, ranked 36th globally
“I want all of us to encourage our young ladies to do sports.”
In her remarks, Ordega expressed gratitude for the support from Benue State and Nigeria, and called on stakeholders to collaborate in sports development and infrastructure.
Ordega also urged the state to support grassroots sports development to harness the next generation of champions in the country.
She said: “Let’s support sports development. Let’s us invest in sports infrastructure, training programmes and talent identification initiatives by providing our young athletes with resources they need.
“We can actually harness the next generation of champions and promote education. Education is the foundation of any prosperous society.
“We can create scholarship programmes for young girls who excel in sports directly by ensuring that they have access to quality education while pursuing their dreams.”
Also speaking at the event, the Technical Adviser to the Governor on Entertainment and Community Outreach, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba, commended Alia for supporting entertainment and sports.
The veteran singer also announced the upcoming Benue wild talent hunt show with N50 million prize.
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